Is this common?

[Coopcheney]

I hope this is In the correct spot. I just purchased 4 sweet hens from a farm that a friend recommended. I got there and the place had a bit of a feeling like they don’t really tend often to the chickens. They had about 30 chickens in a run with a huge turkey. I am a first time chicken owner and I fee like a complete idiot for even purchasing them but I get like I could give them a better life then what they are living in. Come to find out the farm does not really take care of the animals that live there. Two days later my chickens are all coughing and gurgling, discharge from nose. My vet can’t see them till the this week so I bought VetRx. One of my chickens has had a total turn around and is no longer showing symptoms but my others are. I guess my question is…is it common for chickens to become I’ll when in those conditions?

 

[nuthatched]

Vet rx is like vicks for chickens, not really a medicine.
What exactly did you see? A turkey in the pen isn't unusual though it could be bad for the turkey.
It could be a variety of things, keep them far away from any existing birds if you have any.

 

[Coopcheney]

Vet rx is like vicks for chickens, not really a medicine.
What exactly did you see? A turkey in the pen isn't unusual though it could be bad for the turkey.
It could be a variety of things, keep them far away from any existing birds if you have any.

The turkey seemed to bully everyone. They are all quarantined but my one seems completely ok now. I just didn’t know if it was common for chickens to get sick when bringing them into a new environment.

 

[nuthatched]

The turkey seemed to bully everyone. They are all quarantined but my one seems completely ok now. I just didn’t know if it was common for chickens to get sick when bringing them into a new environment.

If they were already hosting a virus, yes, the stress of moving makes it come to the surfaces.

 

[Coopcheney]

If they were already hosting a virus, yes, the stress of moving makes it come to the surfaces.

Thank you for the reply. Hoping they get better soon

 

[Mrs. K]

Thing is which is also scary - they may have picked up something they were not immune to when they came on to your place. Moving chickens is hard on them. However, I would strictly follow a very strict quarantine. If your birds are close by, though, no need to do so, as quarantine has already been broken.

Mrs k

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Did you already have chickens, and you bought these to add to your flock? Or these were your first chickens? I'm sorry, I wasn't clear from the post.

 

[Coopcheney]

Did you already have chickens, and you bought these to add to your flock? Or these were your first chickens? I'm sorry, I wasn't clear from the post.

This is my first flock of 4. I did not bring them into an existing flock. I apologize I should have been more clear. The strange thing is I woke up this morning and they are all fine now? It was a couple days of sneezing and congestion and I just came back from seeing them and they are all ok. I am bringing them to the vet still today.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

This is my first flock of 4. I did not bring them into an existing flock. I apologize I should have been more clear. The strange thing is I woke up this morning and they are all fine now? It was a couple days of sneezing and congestion and I just came back from seeing them and they are all ok. I am bringing them to the vet still today.

Keep and eye and see what the vet says, if they are willing to see them. For many chicken keepers, a vet is not an option.

I know what you mean about kind of the shock sometimes of how farm types keep their birds vs. backyard types. In many cases, they are healthy and fine, it's just so much higher volume than we are used to seeing. In other cases, the pens or stalls are dirty and stinky and the eggs are not clean and they can be harboring disease. Aesthetic issues due to feather picking or over mating may be ignored. I do hope your birds are okay, but it can be a bit of a wakeup call.

I saw a neighbor of mine was selling birds on craigslist and went to check them out. I almost brought them into my flock before having a full on panic attack, backing out and telling her to keep the money. One of the birds was probably 100% fine; another one looked mostly good but I did hear her sneeze, which freaked me out. The two Marans which were what I wanted didn't really look great, and the black leghorns were completely overbred, looked Horrible, and I basically considered them rescues. So yeah. I definitely learned that not everyone cares for their chickens the way that YOU will care for your chickens, and new birds should only be taken on under the most extreme caution and over abundance of quarantine. If at all. Probably not at all. Having or seeing sick birds really makes you appreciate having a healthy flock.

 

[Coopcheney]

Keep and eye and see what the vet says, if they are willing to see them. For many chicken keepers, a vet is not an option.

I know what you mean about kind of the shock sometimes of how farm types keep their birds vs. backyard types. In many cases, they are healthy and fine, it's just so much higher volume than we are used to seeing. In other cases, the pens or stalls are dirty and stinky and the eggs are not clean and they can be harboring disease. Aesthetic issues due to feather picking or over mating may be ignored. I do hope your birds are okay, but it can be a bit of a wakeup call.

I saw a neighbor of mine was selling birds on craigslist and went to check them out. I almost brought them into my flock before having a full on panic attack, backing out and telling her to keep the money. One of the birds was probably 100% fine; another one looked mostly good but I did hear her sneeze, which freaked me out. The two Marans which were what I wanted didn't really look great, and the black leghorns were completely overbred, looked Horrible, and I basically considered them rescues. So yeah. I definitely learned that not everyone cares for their chickens the way that YOU will care for your chickens, and new birds should only be taken on under the most extreme caution and over abundance of quarantine. If at all. Probably not at all. Having or seeing sick birds really makes you appreciate having a healthy flock.

I completely agree with you!!! The Dr gave them all antibiotics and a shot. They are all doing much better and I was lucky enough to have two Drs in town that see chickens. Again thank you for your input! I appreciate it.